1.1 Introduction
Health education serves as a crucial tool in empowering primary school pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases. By providing comprehensive education on topics such as personal hygiene, and disease prevention strategies, primary school pupils can develop behaviors that reduce their risk of infection. Furthermore, health education plays a pivotal role in fostering early detection and prompt treatment of communicable diseases. In Nigeria, the prevalence of communicable diseases among primary school pupils poses a significant public health challenge. Communicable diseases, such as malaria, cholera, and measles, continue to impact the health and well-being of children across the country. However, amidst these challenges, the role of health education in controlling the spread of communicable diseases cannot be overstated.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Nigeria, as a populous nation, faces significant challenges in controlling the spread of communicable diseases among primary school pupils. Factors such as poor sanitation, inadequate access to clean water, and limited healthcare infrastructure contribute to the high prevalence of diseases like malaria, cholera, and measles among children in the country. Additionally, socio-economic disparities and cultural practices further exacerbate the burden of communicable diseases in communities. Despite efforts to combat these health challenges, there remains a critical gap in health education targeting primary school pupils. Many children lack basic knowledge about disease prevention and proper hygiene practices, which increases their vulnerability to infection.
A communicable disease is an illness caused by a specific infectious agent or it’s toxic products. It arises through transmission of that agent or its products from an infected person or animal to a susceptible host either direct or indirectly through an intermediate plant or animal host, vector or the inanimate environment. Infectious disease can be a major cause of illness among children and can affect a child’s schooling by causing absenteeism. They may in turn, affect other children and staff, and can prevent parent’s careers ability to work, especially where both parents careers work. School health programs could not be fully implemented without having staff and parent’s cooperation and involvement.
Parents, community leaders and teachers often can and do serve as role models for students. Students serve as a linkage with school and family while parents can and should cooperate with schools to help their children. Communicable diseases spread quickly among students in the classroom, there must be gathered printable and advise for germ prevention in school. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in public concern about communicable diseases in the schools all over the world. School administrations must find ways to strike a balance between protecting the general school population from exposure to dangerous communicable diseases and ensuring the infected student’s right to privacy and to public education.
The Bangkok Charter, developed in August 2005, explicitly mentioned communicable diseases in its revised definition of health promotion. This renewed interest is also evident in Canada and can be ascribed to the growing concern about the threats posed by a number of communicable disease trends, such as the persistence of AIDS and hepatitis C, the advent of new and emergent diseases, and the continuing development of antimicrobial resistance. These concerns have served to emphasize the important contribution of health promotion strategies to the prevention and control of these diseases. Before turning to review the evidence for effectiveness of health promotion strategies in tackling communicable diseases, let us briefly locate health promotion within the core functions framework and review its parameters and the continuing evolvement of its philosophical constructs. The need for this is dictated by the largely conceptual basis of the Ottawa Charterii and similar health promotion frameworks, and the fact that in relation to their conceptual and strategic development, health promotion and public health are customers of social, behavioral and other sciences. This leads naturally into a consideration of a model to guide the assessment of the evidence of health promotion strategies in tackling communicable diseases.
Health assessment and disease surveillance strategies important for communicable disease prevention and control include detecting disease clusters and outbreaks through community-based, hospital-based, and clinical epidemiology, and laboratory surveillance networks, health promotion strategies important for communicable disease prevention and control, which are the focus of this evidence study, include a set of strategies that enable people to increase control over and improve their health. Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Importance of Health Education in the Control of Communicable Disease Spread in Nigeria Among Primary School Pupils.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that primary school pupils in Nigeria often lack access to comprehensive health education programs that address key topics such as disease prevention, hygiene practices, and healthcare-seeking behaviors. Many primary schools in Nigeria lack proper sanitation infrastructure, including clean water sources and functional toilet facilities. Also, access to healthcare services is often limited in rural and underserved areas of Nigeria, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases among primary school pupils. This lack of access hampers efforts to control disease spread and exacerbates health disparities.
Primary school students' health is a worldwide issue, since children are the most valuable assets any country can have, as their well-being represents the nation's future. The school years are a time of fast physical and mental growth for children, necessitating the implementation of a functioning school health program to ensure the child's entire development. According to experts, nomadic primary school kids have suffered from communicable illnesses, infections, fatal injuries as a consequence of tetanus infection, dental cavities, rashes, inadequate first aid kits for emergency treatment, and recorded incidents of epidemics caused by poor environmental circumstances. Nomadic school kids have not shown a high degree of good health behaviors and attitudes, which is the goal of the school health service.
Furthermore, community involvement in health education initiatives targeting primary school pupils is often lacking. Without active participation from families, local leaders, and other stakeholders, efforts to promote health literacy and behavior change may be less effective. It is in view of this that the researcher intends to examine the importance of health education in the control of communicable disease spread in Nigeria among primary school pupils.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to investigate the importance of health education in the control of communicable disease spread in Nigeria among primary school pupils. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To explore the role of sanitation infrastructure and access to healthcare services in mitigating the spread of communicable diseases among primary school pupils;
- To evaluate the effectiveness of existing health education programs in primary schools for preventing the spread of communicable diseases;
- To identify the key challenges and barriers hindering the implementation of comprehensive health education initiatives in primary schools;
- To assess the current level of health knowledge among primary school pupils regarding communicable diseases in Nigeria; and
- To propose recommendations for improving health education strategies and policies aimed at controlling communicable disease spread among primary school pupils in Nigeria.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is the role of sanitation infrastructure and access to healthcare services in mitigating the spread of communicable diseases among primary school pupils?
- What is the effectiveness of existing health education programs in primary schools for preventing the spread of communicable diseases?
- What are the key challenges and barriers hindering the implementation of comprehensive health education initiatives in primary schools?
- What is the current level of health knowledge among primary school pupils regarding communicable diseases in Nigeria?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Health education does not have any significant effect in minimizing communicable disease among primary school pupils
- H1: Health education does have a significant effect in minimizing communicable disease among primary school pupils.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Parent does not play any significant role in educating their kids on the dangers of communicable disease
- H1: Parent does play a significant role in educating their kids on the dangers of communicable disease
1.7 Significance of Study
The findings of this research will provide evidence-based insights that can inform the development and implementation of policies aimed at integrating comprehensive health education into the primary school curriculum in Nigeria. Also, educators and school administrators can benefit from understanding the role of health education in promoting a healthy school environment and reducing absenteeism due to illness. The study highlights the importance of incorporating health promotion activities into school routines and curricular activities to foster lifelong healthy behaviors among pupils.
Additionally, health practitioners and public health officials can use the findings to advocate for increased investment in health education initiatives targeting primary school pupils. By emphasizing the link between health education and disease prevention, public health campaigns can gain momentum and support from stakeholders at the local, regional, and national levels.
Furthermore, the findings of this research underscore the importance of community involvement in promoting health education and disease prevention efforts among primary school pupils. Also, community leaders, parents, and other stakeholders can collaborate with schools to reinforce health messages and create supportive environments that facilitate behavior change.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Importance of Health Education in the Control of Communicable Disease Spread in Nigeria among Primary School Pupils using Lea Primary School Lugbe Village, FCT Abuja as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Health Education:
It refers to the process of imparting knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to health and well-being, with the aim of promoting individual and community health.
Communicable Diseases:
It is an infectious or contagious diseases, are illnesses caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi that can be transmitted from one person to another through direct or indirect contact.
Primary School Pupils:
It refers to children typically between the ages of 6 and 12 years who are enrolled in primary or elementary school education.
Disease Spread:
It refers to the transmission or dissemination of communicable diseases within a population, community, or geographical area.
